When trying to lose weight, it can be tempting to rely on supplements to curb appetite and speed up your metabolism. A better method of shedding pounds is to follow a healthy, fat burning diet, which is more likely to provide you with permanent results.
Green Leafy Vegetables
The first thing you should include in your fat burning diet is plenty of green, leafy vegetables. Foods such as spinach and broccoli are high in fiber, while being low in calories and high in nutrition. They will help you feel full faster, making it less likely you will overeat. You can even burn calories while chewing foods such as celery. For maximum benefits, you should consume foods raw whenever possible. Raw vegetables require the digestive tract to work harder when breaking them down, which in turn means more calories burned while processing.
Include Lean Protein
Lean protein should be a part of any fat burning diet because of its role in helping you build muscle. Protein also has a thermogenic effect that allows you to burn up to 30% of the calories you consume during Digestion. Include plenty of Chicken, turkey, fish, and beef in your diet, but stay away from pork and other red meats that clog the digestive system. The way you prepare your meat also matters, so make every effort to avoid frying food in oil or adding rich, sweet sauces and gravies to your recipes. Grilling, baking, or roasting are preferred cooking methods.
Drinking Green Tea
Green tea has long been touted for its ability to speed the metabolism. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported that people who drank four cups of green tea daily were able to shed six pounds in four weeks. Drink a hot cup of green tea in place of your morning coffee, and keep a jug full of iced tea in your refrigerator so you can sip on it throughout the day. Not only can green tea speed your metabolism, but it also contains powerful antioxidants that can help you fight infection and ward off diseases.
Avoid Processed Foods
Processed foods can slow your metabolism and cause you to gain more weight, as your body burns up to twice as many calories breaking down whole foods. For this reason, you should include brown rice, oatmeal, and whole wheat products in your fat burning diet on a regular basis. Look for foods with as few ingredients as possible, and limit the number of prepackaged baked goods and cereals you consume. Avoid anything with refined starches and sugars, as those ingredients are likely to stall the digestive process and make it harder for you to break down any other foods you consume.
Eating healthy must become a way of life if you are to keep weight off over the long term. By following a fat burning diet now, you are making a lifestyle change that will help you accomplish your weight loss goals, while at the same time improving your overall health.
